Self Help And Resource Exchange Comes To Gloucester

A new program in Gloucester County is providing a way for people to help others while helping themselves.

Dr. Jacob Berghuis is chairman of the advisory board for the local host organization of SHARE (Self Help And Resource Exchange), a nationwide self-help food program.

Berghuis, a retired cardiac surgeon, became interested in the program when he attended a seminar on world hunger on the Peninsula in his capacity as chairman of care ministry at the First Presbyterian Church.

``There was no host site close enough for the people of Gloucester to participate. It was ideal for us to set up a site,'' he says.

To take part in the non-profit food program, each participant must complete two hours of community service and pay $13.59 in cash or $13 in food stamps the first of the month for each food package.

The packages, which are distributed the third or fourth Saturday of the month, contain at least 14 items valued at about $30 at the grocery store, including meats, fruits, vegetables, packaged foods and staples such as potatoes, pasta and rice.

Thirty-eight people signed up the first food distribution which was held Nov. 17 at the church. ``The pilot program was by word of mouth. We wanted to start out slowly,'' Berghuis says.

Although some of the volunteer service will be with the SHARE program, the two hours of monthly service is not limited just to that. Church activities, charitable organizations, community services and one-on-one assistance are also included in volunteer hours categories.

``The food is picked up in bulk quantities at the SHARE warehouse in Norfolk on the day of distribution. The volunteers put it into individual unit containers at the site and distribution starts at 10 a.m.'' he says.

The program is being held a week early in November and December because of the holidays. After the first of the year, it will be on the last Saturday of the month.

This schedule is helpful to people who need the food, particularly at the end of the month, he says.